Where Georgia freshman DB stands after ACL injury
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The Georgia Bulldogs will begin the 2026 season with one of the top defensive units in the nation despite a handful of injuries. Transfer defensive lineman Amaris Williams suffered a torn ACL during spring practice and All-SEC defensive end Gabe Harris Jr. is fully recovered from a toe turf injury suffered during the SEC championship in December.
Freshman defensive back Justice Fitzpatrick suffered an ACL injury during the Florida 5A state high school playoffs in December as well. The promising cornerback appears to be recovering well, however, as Fitzpatrick has been fully cleared and is participating in team meetings and walk-throughs. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart recently shared an update on the freshman’s status, as Smart claims Fitzpatrick hasn’t taken part in lab tackling yet despite his progress.
"He has been cleared and he's working every day,” Smart said. “He has been in all of our meetings and does all walk-throughs and movement skills. He has not done lab tackling yet, like some of our other guys have done, but I don't have a true timeline of that."
Fitzpatrick was listed as the No. 23 cornerback and the No. 198 overall player from the class of 2026, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He is listed as the No. 25 player out of Florida, and the freshman could make an impact in Year 1 when fully healthy. A four-star recruit, the corner is the younger brother of New York Jets and former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick has made clear progress in his road to recovery despite his timeline remaining unknown. The corner is an extremely talented freshman regardless of the injury, and Fitzpatrick will undoubtedly find competing for playing time on the field when fully healthy.
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